Credit register mechanism

ABSTRACT

An improved coin-actuated credit register mechanism of the type useful in vending machines and the like and having a plurality of register wheels for cumulatively registering credits in response to deposit of one or more coins and in which the register wheels are controlled by pivoted lever arms adapted to function in response to deposit of appropriate coins. The lever arms are connected for pivoting movement, and are maintained in and returned to a normal position by counterweights attached thereto, which counterweights are of a mass such that the lever arms are pivoted against the force of the counterweights by the weight of a proper coin bearing against the upper surface of coincontacting fingers of the lever arms. A suitable lever and counterweight is provided for each denomination of coin to be utilized in the mechanism, and an arcuate member moves in response to rotation of a unit register wheel to inactivate one or more lockout means, the lockout means being adapted to block operation of an associated vending machine until sufficient credits are accumulated on the credit register.

United States Patent [191 Albright Mar. 19, 1974 1 1 CREDIT REGISTER MECHANISM Henry J. Albright, West Des Moines. Iowa [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Fawn Engineering Co., Des Moines,

Iowa

[22] Filed: Jan. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 320,304

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. Kocovsky Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Henderson & Strom [57] ABSTRACT An improved coin-actuated credit register mechanism of the type useful in vending machines and the like and having a plurality of register wheels for cumulatively registering credits in response to deposit of one or more coins and in which the register wheels are controlled by pivoted lever arms adapted to function in response to deposit of appropriate coins. The lever arms are connected for pivoting movement, and are maintained in and returned to a normal position by counterweights attached thereto, which counterweights are of a mass such that the lever arms are pivoted against the force of the counterweights by the weight of a proper coin bearing against the upper surface of coin-contacting fingers of the lever arms. A suitable lever and counterweight is provided for each denomination of coin to be utilized in the mechanism, and an arcuate member moves in response to rotation of a unit register wheel to inactivate one or more lockout means, the lookout means being adapted to block operation of an associated vending machine until sufficient credits are accumulated on the credit register.

4 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures minnows 1914 v 3797x326 sum 1 ur 4 PAIENIEMAR 1 9 m4 3 7 97 626 sum u or 4 CREDIT REGISTER MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Vending machines of the type that dispense articles having different prices have become increasingly popular. These machines require a credit register mechanism that can cumulativelyregister credits in response to deposit of coins of different denominations, and that can in turn permit dispensing of appropriate articles upon deposit of sufficient amount of money. In cases where articles of different value are in a dispensing machine, the mechanism must permit dispensing of only lower priced articles upon deposit of a first amount of money, and then must permit dispensing of higher priced articles upon deposit of an additional amount of money. An adjustable price setting mechanism for vending machines dispensing goods of different prices is described in US. Pat. No. 3,545,586, and the credit register of this invention is particularly suited for use with a price setting mechanism as described therein.

Many types of coin handling mechanisms are available which can receive and sort coins according to denomination and genuineness, and then deliver genuine coins to selected outlets depending on denomination.

Also, many types of credit register mechanisms are available for cumulatively registering coins as they are deposited into a coin handling mechanism. The construction and operation of such credit register mechanisms is thoroughly described, for example, in US. Pat. Nos. 2,435,933 and 2,613,791.

The present invention relates to mechanical coinactuated credit register mechanisms, and in many ways is similar to, and is an improvement over, a credit register as defined in US. Pat. No. 2,435,933.

While credit register mechanisms of the type described in US. Pat. No. 2,435,933, including springbiased lever arms movable in response to coin deposit to actuate the register wheels, have been quite successful over the years, they have nevertheless been subject to certain deficiencies. For example, a mechanism as described therein is subject to fraudulent operation by application of a sharply delivered force, due to a resulting pendulum action, unless locking plates are provided. The locking plates unduly complicate the mechanism and are not completely reliable. Also, the use of bias-springs to position the levers which are contacted and moved by coins from a coin sorter is not entirely satisfactory due to varying spring properties with age and operating conditions.

A need has long existed for a credit register mechanism which is not subject to the above-noted deficiencies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a mechanical coinactuated credit register mechanism is provided with a plurality of actuating arms, one for each coin denomination, which are operatively connected with credit register wheels such that upon tripping of any of the actuating arms the credit register wheels accumulate the proper amounts ofcredits. An important part of this invention is the provision of counterweights on the actuating arms to maintain them in the proper position and to return the arms to the proper position after a coin has actuated the lever.

As mentioned previously, the use of coin actuated arms to control credit register wheels is described in US. Pat. No. 2,435,933. However, the actuating arms of the mechanism described therein are maintained in the proper position, and returned thereto after being tripped by a coin, by bias springs. The use of springs for this purpose has not been entirely satisfactory, as the characteristics of the spring tend to change with age and are also subject to corrosion, breaking, and other problems. The use of counterweights in accordance with this invention overcomes these problems very effectively. Another important advantage obtained by the use of counterweights instead of springs is that pendulum action due to movement of the unit is eliminated, thus avoiding the need for the pivoted locking keys utilized in the prior art devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a vending machine incorporating the credit register mechanism of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a control linkage taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the control linkage illustrated in FIG. 2, with an arm of the credit register mechanism shown holding lockout feelers in the inactive position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the credit register mechanism of this invention taken along the line 44 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing an adjustable price setting mechanism for use with the credit register mechanism.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the credit register mechanism of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a portion of the credit register mechanism including the unit register wheel and its associated lever arm in the rest position.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 7 with the lever arm in the tripped position.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a portion of the credit register mechanism including the two unit register wheel and its associated lever arm in the rest position.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 9 with the lever arm in the tripped position.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a portion of the credit register mechanism including the five unit register wheel and its associated lever arm in the rest position. I

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 11 with the lever arm in the tripped position.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of a portion of the credit register mechanism including the ten unit register wheel and its associated lever arm in the rest position.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the mechanism of FIG. 13 with the lever arm in the tripped position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The preferred embodiment of a credit register mechanism in accordance with this invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The internal parts of a typical vending machine are shown in FIG. 1. Article storing chutes 21 are mounted in a side-by-side relationship and each chute 21 has an associated pull handle 22 as is conventional. A housing 24 is shown enclosing the credit register mechanism shown generally as 26. A conventional coin sorting device (not shown) is positioned in the upper part of housing 24 in accordance with conventional practice. A coin inlet 25 is provided at the top of housing 24 for insertion of coins of various denominations.

The credit register mechanism 26 of this invention is particularly adapted for use with a vending machine of the type used to dispense articles of two different values. Vending machines of this type are well known in the art, and a particularly good description of this type of vending machine is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,586, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A feature of the vending machine described in the above mentioned patent is the provision for varying the price differential of the higher and lower priced articles to be dispensed thereby. The means for varying the price range of the higher and lower priced articles is thoroughly described in the above mentioned patent and constitutes no part of the present invention, other than as it is associated with the credit register mechanism of this invention. The means for setting the price differential, and the means for actuating the vending machine, are illustrated in FIG. 2, but as this mechanism as shown in FIG. 2 is thoroughly described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,586, a detailed description thereof is not deemed necessary, except to the extent that the operation of the linkage is affected by the details of the credit register mechanism of this invention.

The credit register mechanism 26 of thisinvention is best seen in its entirety in FIGS. 4 and 6, FIG. 6 being an exploded view of all the interrelated parts of the mechanism. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, a main shaft 28 extends through a back wall plate 46 and a front wall plate 31. A spring holding pin 47 on back wall plate 46 is provided for engagement with one end of a clock spring 48, and a spring engaging pin 50 on unit register wheel 49 is provided for engagement with the other end of the clock spring 48 as best seen in FIG. 6. The clock spring 48 is initially tensioned by winding the spring up by rotation arm 27, and the spring 48 then provides the driving force for the credit register mechanism. As pointed out previously in the background section, credit register mechanisms having a plurality of register wheels and associated pawls and lever arms adapted to be actuated by coins of various denominations have been available previously. One such mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,435,933. The credit register mechanism of this invention has many features in common with the mechanism described in that patent, and is an improvement thereover, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

Returning now to the description of the credit register mechanism 26, the parts of the mechanism associated with the main shaft 28, starting at back wall 46 and moving toward front wall 31, include the clock spring 48 (FIG. 6), unit wheel 49, which is affixed to main shaft 28 for positive rotation therewith, a two unit, or dime wheel 68, a five unit, or quarter wheel 62 and a ten unit, or one-half dollar wheel 70, the latter mentioned three wheels being mounted for relative rotation with respect to the main shaft 28. Next in order is a rotating arm 27, having an arcuate extension segment 85 attached to the end thereof, the rotating arm 27 being mounted for positive rotation with the main shaft 28, and a spur wheel 86 which is also mounted for positive rotation with main shaft 28. The front end of the main shaft 28 is suitably mounted in the front wall plate 31 for rotation.

Pivotally mounted to the inside of front wall 31 is a resetting member 29 having notches cut in its outer arcuate surface and adapted to mesh with the spurs of gear wheel 86 as best seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. As seen in FIG. 6, guide fingers 33 extend over the outer side of front wall 31 (FIG. 5) for guiding the reset element 29 for movement about an arcuate slot 32 formed in front wall 31. A reset pin 30 extends outwardly from reset means 29, and is engaged by reset lever arm 44 (FIG. 2) which upon actuation, such as by pulling one of the pull handles 22, forces reset pin 30 downwardly until it engages a stop arm 35 of a price setting means 34 (FIG. 5). Actuation of the reset bar 44 causes the spur gear 86 to rotate with resultant returning of rotating arm 27 to a starting position in a known manner. A slotted arcuate extension 36 of stop arm 34 is provided for setting the price of an article to be vended by the vending machine 20. The price set by the price setting means 34 will be the price for the lower valued article to be dispensed. Projecting from the arcuate portion 36 of stop arm 35 is a portion 37 having a pin 38 extending therefrom. The pin 38 is set in a selected price setting hole 39 formed in front wall 31, all as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The value of the lower priced article can be set from 5 cents to $1.75, for example, utilizing the price setting means 34 as illustrated providing that the remaining parts of the credit register mechanism are compatable with this setup. The price differential between the lower and higher priced articles to be vended can be selected using the price differential means 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3) as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,586. Feeler bars 42 and 43 are placed in selected ones of slots 41 in the price differential means 40 as described therein.

Referring again to FIG. 6, a unit wheel pawl 51 is pivotally mounted on pawl shaft 86, and includes a trip finger 52 and a holding tooth 53. An arm 54 is pivotally mounted to back wall 46 at 55, and has a locking tooth 56 adapted for engagement with the teeth of unit wheel 49. A spring 57 is connected at one end to the back wall 46 and at its other end to the upper part of arm 54, biasing the arm 54 such that locking tooth 56 is normally in engagement with the teeth of the unit wheel 49, as seen clearly in FIG. 7.

A release bar 59 extends from arm 60, which is pivoted to shaft 61, and has a peg 62 extending therefrom into a slot 58 formed in arm 54.

A unit wheel lever arm 63 is pivotally mounted on shaft 64 and includes a coin contacting finger 65 extending therefrom. A latch pawl lever engaging protuberance 66 is formed in the upper surface of coin contacting finger 65 as seen in FIG. 7, and a latch pawl engaging surface 74 is provided above the pivot point of the lever arm 63 for engaging the unit wheel pawl Sll as also seen clearly in FIG. 7.

As seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, a two unit, or dime wheel 68 is located adjacent the unit, or nickel" wheel 49, and has a dime wheel pawl 75 and a dime wheel lever arm 76 associated therewith (FIGS. 9 and I0). The

pawl 75 and the lever arm 76 are identical with the pawl 51 and the lever arm 63 except that the counterweight 77 of the lever arm 76 may be of a different mass suited to the different weight of the coin to actuate the lever arm. Similarly, quarter wheel 69 has an associated pawl 78, lever arm 90, and counterweight 79, and one half dollar wheel 70 has an associated pawl 80, lever arm 91, and counterweight 81 associated therewith.

While each of the wheels 68, 69 and 70 are shown of identical construction, with a two unit arcuate slot 82, a five unit arcuate slot 83, and a ten unit arcuate slot 84 formed therein, only one such slot is used in each wheel. A restraining bar 71 is affixed at one end to the unit wheel 49 and extends through the two unit slot 82 in wheel 68, the five unit slot 83 in wheel 69, and the ten unit slot 84 in wheel 70. When the credit register mechanism is in the normal or rest position, wheels 68, 69 and 70 are not engaged by their respective latch pawls. Each of the wheels 68, 69 and 70 have a spring 72 attached at one end to a selected spring holding pin 73 and the other end of the springs 72 is attached to the restraining bar 71 for a purpose to be described later. See FIGS. 9 through 14 for this spring attaching arrangement.

Located between the coin sorting mechanism (not shown) in housing 24 and the coin actuating fingers of the lever arms 63, 76, etc., is a coin slot device 89 (FIG. 4) having a plurality of slots, one for each denomination of coin to be utilized, and each slot being positioned above the coin contacting finger of the appropriate lever arm in association with the several credit register wheels.

The purpose of the credit register mechanism 26 of this invention is to register and accumulate credits as a result of depositing one or more coins in the coin slot 25, the mechanism accumulating credits until a sufficient amount of money has been deposited to rotate the arm 27 into a position beneath the first feeler 42, thereby inactivating the lockout operation normally resulting from the dropping of first feeler 42 upon attempted actuation of a pull handle 22. The mechanism 26 similarly accumulates credits until the arm 27 has rotated to the position shown in FIG. 3, inactivating the second feeler 43 from its normal locking out operation, such that an article of the higher value in the vending machine can be dispensed upon pulling of the appropriate handle 22.

The operation of the mechanism 26 will now be described. Initially, the price setting means 34 is adjusted to the value of the lower priced article to be dispensed from the machine by selective positioning of pin 38 in one of the holes 29 in front plate 31. The price differential means 40 is then selectively set for the appropriate value of the higher priced article to be dispensed by the vending machine 20. This is done in a known manner by selective positioning of the feelers 42 and 43 in slots 41 of the price differential means 40. The re-set trip pin is positioned against the stop arm for a zero setting. In this zero setting, the unit wheel 49 is restrained from rotation by the locking tooth 56 on arm 54 as best seen in FIG. 7. Upon a unit coin, in this case a five cent piece, being deposited in the coin slot 25, the coil will travel through the coin sorter and be guided into the nickel slot of device 89 over unit wheel coin contacting finger 65 of unit wheel lever arm 63. The coin will fall against the coin contacting finger 65 and rotate it in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 8, resulting in counterclockwise rotation of the unit wheel pawl 51 about pawl shaft 86 in a counterclockwise direction, causing the pawl 51 to engage the teeth of unit wheel 49 as shown in FIG. 8. Continued counterclockwise rotation of the unit wheel lever arm 63 results in trip finger 52 of pawl 51 contacting release bar 59, with resultant counterclockwise rotation of arm 60. Rotation of arm 60 results in peg 62 extending therefrom moving within slot 58 in arm 54, with resultant movement of locking tooth 56 out of engagement with the teeth of unit wheel 49. After locking tooth 56 is disengaged with the unit wheel 49, clock spring 48 forces the unit wheel in a clockwise direction. However, the unit wheel pawl 51 limits the rotation of the unit wheel to one notch. As the wheels 68, 69 and 70 are free to rotate on shaft 28, and as they are biased for clockwise rotation by the springs 72, they will also rotate one notch, as will spur gear wheel 86 which is affixed to main shaft 28. Rotating arm 27 with its attached arcuate extension segment will also rotate a corresponding amount in response to rotation of main shaft 28. Successive deposit of unit coins in the device will result in repetition of the foregoing operation.

The operation of the five unit, or quarter wheel will now be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 shows the quarter wheel 69 of the credit register mechanism and its associated lever arm and pawl 78. It can be seen that the spring 72 acts to keep the top portion of slot 83 against the restraining bar 71 which is fixed to unit wheel 49. Upon depositing a quarter coin in the coin slot 25, the quarter lever arm is pivoted counterclockwise against the action of counterweight 79 as clearly seen in FIG. 12. The pivoting of the lever arm 90 causes quarter pawl 78 to rotate counterclockwise until its locking tooth is engaged in the teeth of quarter wheel 69 as seen in FIG. 12, and continued counterclockwise movement of pawl 78 causes release bar 59 to be moved, with resultant movement of arm 54 to cause tooth 56 to move out of engagement with the teeth of unit wheel 49, allowing the clock spring 48 to rotate the unit wheel 49 until the restraining arm 71 contacts the lower end of slot 83 in wheel 69. The wheel 69 is held for rotation by the tooth of pawl 78. After the quarter coin has moved off the lever arm, the counterweight 79 causes the lever arm to swing back to a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 11, simultaneously allowing arm 54 to pivot back to the position of FIG. 11 where tooth 56 engages the teeth of unit wheel 49. The pawl 78 is moved out of engagement with wheel 69 during the return movement of the lever arm, and the quarter wheel 69 is then free to rotate until the top edge of slot 83 again encounters the restraining bar 71. The net result of this overall series of movements is that the unit wheel 49 has advanced five units, and the main shaft 28 has also rotated a corresponding amount, ultimately resulting in rotation of arm 27 and its arcuate extension 85. The operation of the dime wheel 68 and the half dollar wheel 70 is essentially the same as just described for the quarter wheel 69, with variations in amount of rotation due to the different size slots in each of the wheels.

It is again pointed out that the essential difference between the invention as described above and the prior art devices is the provision of counterweights on the pivoted lever arms. Prior art devices have used coil springs to return comparable lever arms to the starting or rest positions. The use of coil springs for this purpose has resulted in the necessity of unduly complicated locking keys and other devices to prevent accidental or fraudulent operation of the credit register mechanisms. The use of counter-weights as described in this invention substantially eliminates the pendulum action resulting from horizontal movement of a vending machine associated with the credit register mechanism. The design of the present invention also results in manufacturing economies, and avoids the problem of spring deterioration with age or other causes, resulting in a more reliable credit register mechanism.

The above description of the preferred embodiment of the invention describes the best presently known version of the invention. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of the mechanism as described, and numerous modifications and variations could be made without departing from the true scope of the invention. For example, the invention could be utilized in a credit register mechanism using a different number of credit register wheels, or with a different price setting and/or price differential mechanism. Other modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the invention is to be defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical coin-actuated credit register mechanism of the type having a plurality of credit register wheels adapted to cumulatively register credits in amounts dependent upon the size of coin deposited wherein the register wheels are selectively controlled by coin-actuated pivoted lever arms one for each appropriate coin denomination, the improvement wherein each lever arm comprises:

a pivot point intermediate the ends thereof;

a first elongated section extending generally horizontally from the pivot point and adapted to be contacted and moved downwardly by a proper coin moving through the mechanism;

a second section extending from the pivot point in the opposite direction from the first section, the second section having a counterweight affixed thereto, the counterweight having a mass such that it normally overrides the tendency of the lever arm to be rotated about the pivot point by the first elongated section, and such that when a proper coin bears downwardly against the first elongated section the lever arm will rotate about the pivot point in response to such downwardly bearing coin, the counterweight being of sufficient mass to cause the return of the lever arm to its normal generally horizontal position upon cessation of a proper coin bearing downwardly against the first elongated section thereof;

pivoted lever means for controlling the movement of the credit register wheels;

cam means on said second section of said lever arm for controlling movement of the lever means by contact on one end of said lever means; and means on said elongated member engageable with the other end of the lever means to thereby balance the lever means to one position in conjunction with said cam means in the absence of a coin passing through the mechanism.

2. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein an arcuate extension is adapted to be rotated in response to operation of the credit register mechanism to a position where it can be engaged by a lockout means to inactivate same, the lockout means being positioned and arranged to normally drop into a lockout position upon attempted tripping of the credit register mechanism before a sufficient amount of credits have accumulated.

lever means. 

1. In a mechanical coin-actuated credit register mechanism of the type having a plurality of credit register wheels adapted to cumulatively register credits in amounts dependent upon the size of coin deposited wherein the register wheels are selectively controlled by coin-actuated pivoted lever arms one for each appropriate coin denomination, the improvement wherein each lever arm comprises: a pivot point intermediate the ends thereof; a first elongated section extending generally horizontally from the pivot point and adapted to be contacted and moved downwardly by a proper coin moving through the mechanism; a second section extending from the pivot point in the opposite direction from the first section, the second section having a counterweight affixed thereto, the counterweight having a mass such that it normally overrides the tendency of the lever arm to be rotated about the pivot point by the first elongated section, and such that when a proper coin bears downwardly against the first elongated section the lever arm will rotate about the pivot point in response to such downwardly bearing coin, the counterweight being of sufficient mass to cause the return of the lever arm to its normal generally horizontal position upon cessation of a proper coin bearing downwardly against the first elongated section thereof; pivoted lever means for controlling the movement of the credit register wheels; cam means on said second section of said lever arm for controlling movement of the lever means by contact on one end of said lever means; and means on said elongated member engageable with the other end of the lever means to thereby balance the lever means to one position in conjunction with said cam means in the absence of a coin passing through the mechanism.
 2. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein an arcuate extension is adapted to be rotated in response to operation of the credit register mechanism to a position where it can be engaged by a lockout means to inactivate same, the lockout means being positioned and arranged to normally drop into a lockout position upon attempted tripping of the credit register mechanism before a sufficient amount of credits have accumulated.
 3. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of lockout means are provided, and they are serially inactivated in response to progressive accumulation of credits.
 4. The mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the pivot of said pivoted lever means is intermediate the contact point of the cam means to the lever means and the engagement point of the balancing means with the lever means. 